We're Not Normal
by IAmTheRevelation
Summary: Meet Charlotte Jameson: average teenage girl,the class clown, best friend to the two idiots otherwise known as Stiles Stillinski and Scott McCall. So when her world's turned upside down by the werewolf bite, she learns to have glow-sticks for eyes and arrows shot at her from all directions. But add Derek Hale in with the mix? Yeah...nothing's gonna be normal.
1. Victim

**Summary: Meet Charlotte Jameson: average teenage girl, the class clown, best friend to the two idiots otherwise known as Stiles Stillinski and Scott McCall. So when her world's turned upside down by the werewolf bite, she learns to cope with having glow-sticks for eyes and arrows being shot at her from all directions. But having Derek Hale get into the mix? Yeah…say goodbye to any sense of normalcy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf or any of its materials.**

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"CANNONBALL!"

I awake with a shriek, feeling something heavy land on my body. My limbs are restrained by the blankets on my bed and I'm held down by another body onto my mattress. The words that my attacker had shrieked at the top of his lungs still bounce through my head and after a few minutes of fighting; I'm met by with a bright smile and big doe brown eyes. On top of me there is at least 130 pounds of Stiles Stillinski…I don't like it. Right now I am really regretting telling my father and mother to go ahead and work the night shift at the hospital and emergency room; I could've had my father in here with his shot gun by now if I had known Stiles would do this to me.

"Get off of me before I scream out rape!" I exclaim, wriggling around and Stiles rolls his eyes before rolling into the floor. My eyes flicker towards the teenager who lies sprawled out in my bedroom floor, staring up at me. "What the hell are you doing here, Stiles?"

"You didn't hear? Christ, you really are a socially awkward teenager." Stiles takes his seat on my bed, waving his hand and surely enough, Scott McCall dolphin dives right through my window, falling face first onto the bedroom floor.

I give him a dirty look. "Then what is your excuse? The only social life you have is Wizards101." I fall back onto my pillows and both boys lay down on either side of me; Scott's the only one laughing, though. Stiles just has a look on his face that says he's met his match.

Stiles nods. "You have a good point there, Charlie." He looks over at me, his eyes wide with excitement. "Anyways, like I was saying, there's a murder investigation tonight!" I cock my eyebrows as I look at Stiles. Of course he's the only one that would try and talk somebody into coming to investigate a murder mystery. Plus I'm probably the only other one besides Scott that would go with him since we're like the Three Stooges…whatever the hell you wanna call us. Scott, Stiles, and I…we're the three misfits of Beacon Hills High School. You can find us in the lab room trying to blow stuff up, sneaking into the teachers' lounge to sabotage the place, or just being stupid in all aspects. We've been together since Pre-K and we'll be together for many more years to come- hell, I might end up marrying one of them since Scott is pulling the whole "What if?" thing on me.

I lean against Scott and the boy pulls me into his lap, putting his chin on my shoulder. "And you had to come into my house like some kind of maniac to tell me? Why didn't you just text me, Stiles? That goes for you, too, Scotty." I hear Scott chuckle and I roll my eyes, nudging him playfully.

"What's the fun in that?" Stiles asks.

Scott smiles and then laughs. "We're three socially awkward teens, Charlotte. We don't use the phone…or doors for that matter." I laugh wildly and I hide my face in Scott's curly hair, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"We've gotta go find the body of the girl!" Stiles exclaims and I hear Scott scoff at him. "What? You were all for going to check this out!"

Scott nods. "I said I'd go to 'spy' on the investigation. I didn't say I'd go all out to find a body; besides, aren't you scared of that kind of stuff?" He wraps his arms around me tighter, looking over my shoulder at Stiles.

I end up smiling a smug grin. "Yeah… Aren't you the one that passed out when Logan Dennison busted his head wide open at the track meet?" Scott high-fives me and we both look at a confused Stiles; he doesn't look exactly happy that were pestering him about passing out on us in the woods.

"That's not the point, guys! The body's…ripped." Stiles looks over at me and his face brightens when I begin to pale. Even Scott has the same look as I do.

"You mean like a piece of ripped paper?" I ask, my voice starting to hit all octaves. Stiles' big idea of scouting the place out when a possible serial killer is on the loose doesn't sound very appealing to me; maybe I'll just let him go and I'll keep Scott here with me as my body guard. I'm telling you now that if Stiles gets killed out there I am not coming to his funeral.

"Yep! C'mon, we've gotta go! My dad has probably just left the house and I want a head start," Stiles comments, rolling out of my bed and then Scott stands up, leaving me in my bed. Both boys look down at me, their eyebrows cocked in wonder at me.

"What?" I ask, crossing my arms.

Stiles points at me. "Why aren't you getting up?"

I blush, trying to hold in a booming laugh. "I wasn't wearing any night bottoms." I watch as Stiles shakes all over and his face pale, but I see Scott standing there all cool like, wiggling his eyebrows wildly and I throw a pillow at them. "Get the hell outta my bedroom! I'll meet you guys in a few minutes." Both boys climb from my room quickly, laughing the entire time and I huff, standing up to find some pants, but I close the curtain first.

I will not give Scott McCall the satisfaction of looking at my pink Victoria Secret panties.

…

"Stiles, I don't wanna listen to Green Day! C'mon, turn it to Linkin Park or something," I whine, reaching from the back seat to turn the radio channel. The driver of our piece-of-crap jeep swats my hand away, pointing his finger at me like he was a parent yelling at a little kid. "Seriously, I can't take another verse of 21 Guns."

Stiles looks back at me, giving me an evil glare. "Charlie, this is my car! You will go by my rules!" Scott leans over quickly, swerving Stiles back onto the right side of the road. I cover my mouth to keep from laughing at the two of them, sinking down in my back seat. "You think that I'm joking?!"

"I think I was the one who gave you at least 75% of the money to buy this hunk of junk. I'm entitled to turn the music stations as I please," I snap, leaning up to turn the channel to one that I knew that Scott and I liked. Out of the three of us, Stiles was the only one who couldn't stand what music we listened to. "See, it wasn't that hard, was it?"

Stiles grips the steering wheel. "Charlotte."

"Genim," I snarl.

Scott leans back, slapping a hand over my mouth before I could say anything else. "You two need to be quiet. I'll bet you any amount of money that when we park we'll see the murderer sharpening his hand tools because he heard your big mouths!"

I bite down on Scott's hand, hearing the boy yelp with pain. "Okay, okay, okay! I give in! Let's just go and play CIA agent for a little while and then you guys are gonna very happily take me home so I can sleep." I smile cheekily at my two friends and I just hear Stiles mumble; Scott smiles back…he is the positive one out of our group.

Stiles sighs, looking back at me and then over at Scott. "So who do you think murdered that woman? It could've been the animal groomer, the next door neighbor, the mailman…Bigfoot." I shake my head, hitting Stiles as hard as I can with my fist. "Charlie, what the hell is wrong with you?! I'll have my father take out restraining orders!"

"Somebody getting killed is no laughing matter. I wouldn't go around claiming that a Sasquatch ripped your twig-like body in half if you were dead," I comment, watching as Stiles pulls into a small space behind the trees well hidden by over growth.

Scott helps me out of the car and Stiles looks down at me. "I know who I'm tripping if I see a maniac with a chain-saw." My eyes grow huge and Scott chuckles while Stiles bursts into laughter. Both boys sling their arms around me as we walk through the forest and I give them both dirty looks. "Let's keep quiet… If my dad finds us were screwed."

I nod, looking over at Scott. "Do you have your inhaler? I don't wanna explain to your mother why Stiles and I are lugging your skinny ass into the hospital." The sixteen year old scratches his head, digging around in his pocket.

Scott smiles brightly. "I've got it…"

"Good. If you happen to lose that one I brought your back-up," I say, waving the inhaler at him and Scott smiles lightly. "Okay, let's get a move on!" The two boys and I stomp through the woods, observing the area. Scott's basically holding me because each snap of a twig or the sound of an animal is like one of the devils of hell jumping out on us; even Stiles is starting to get a little creeped out. The three of us see bright lights and Stiles almost faints, so Scott and I drag him by the collar of his shirt into a bush.

"It's aliens! I'm telling you, guys! Aliens ripped Laura Hale in half!" Stiles whines, curling up in the bushes.

I kick him. "Stiles, you've been watching too many scary movies. That's the police squad, idiot! If you wanna be sure, go and find out." I try to keep my voice low and quiet; I can't risk Sheriff Stillinski finding me and then ratting me out to my parents.

Stiles nods and jumps out of our hiding spot, running around to investigate the scene. Moments later I hear him screech and Scott's the first to hold me down, peeking over the greenery a little bit. Stiles is on the ground, attack dogs on top of him and I hear Sheriff Stillinski fussing. "Don't shoot! This is my delinquent!"

Scott and I look at Stiles who is standing in front of his father, arms crossed. "Hi Dad!"

"Stiles, what the hell are you doing out here? This is a murder investigation!" Sheriff Stillinski doesn't sound too pleased and I take notice of his stress levels. If he found Scott and me the world would all be over for the three of us.

The hyperactive teenager smiles brightly at his father. "I want to find the body! C'mon, this isn't as dangerous at it looks."

Sheriff Stillinski's eyes narrow on Stiles. "Did you even read my messages, son?"

Stiles shakes his head. "Not the boring ones." The teenager smiles at his father innocently and then Sheriff Stillinski looks around, his eyes trying to spot something. Scott and I smile, holding in laughs as the older man tries to find the two of us. I know that Sheriff Stillinski would love to come out here and bust us for teaming up with his crazy son.

"Where are Scott and Charlotte at?" Stiles' father asks.

"Scott is at home watching 'Finding Bigfoot' and Charlie's conked out from last I checked. It's just me out here," Stiles replies, his voice sounding convincing enough for his father to buy his little white lie. "So…where do I sign up to help?"

Sheriff Stillinski huffs, grabbing Stiles by the ear and drags him back the way we had come out here. Scott and I look at one another with pained glances, already knowing we'd have to walk back to our houses. Scott and I run off in another direction, trying to avoid Sheriff Stillinski and Stiles.

"You can bunk at my place tonight," I reply. "It's closer and I still have your clothes from the last time you and Stiles spent the night with me." Scott nods, grateful for the place to stay and we both walk silently through the woods. The rustling of leaves causes me to bow up and Scott looks back towards whatever has become frightened out here in the woods. A herd of deer comes running from the trees like bats out of hell and Scott and I are both beat down. Having been separated, I can hear Scott wheezing violently and I can tell that he needs his inhaler. I push myself up from the ground, taking the back-up inhaler from my pocket. Pain explodes through my leg and I cringe, limping as quickly as I can towards Scott who is pushing himself up, dusting off his pants.

"Scott, you okay?" I ask, pressing the inhaler into his hand.

Scott takes in a deep breath of the medicine, looking down at me. "I'm fine…but what about you? You're limping, Charlie." Scott has me to wrap my arm around his neck and he almost carries me against my protests as we stumble through the forest.

"What caused those deer to run like that?" I look up at Scott and he shakes his head.

He shrugs. "I don't know and I don't wanna know. Let's just hurry and get back to your place, though. I really don't wanna come face to face with whatever scared those deer half to death." Scott quickly starts to support me again and he starts to carry me for short periods of time.

My eyes flicker around and I'm met with glowing red eyes from somewhere in the trees. I start to use my good foot to drag across the ground, making Scott stop and I feel him pick me up bridal style. "Charlie, what is it? C'mon, you're scaring me!"

"I-I-I-I-I…big beady red eyes…wolf or something!" I barely get out words because I'm shaking so badly. Scott starts to run and I really want to hit him right about now. "Don't make any sudden movements! McCall, you're gonna get us killed!"

Scott doesn't take any heed to my warning and he just keeps running as fast as he can. Sure enough, just like I predicted, we're both trampled down again. Scott's sent tumbling in another direction and the only time I stop rolling is when I hit a log. I collapse onto the ground, hoping that Scott isn't having another asthma attack; whatever plowed us over isn't a very happy creature.

"Scott, are you okay?!" I call, hoping for a reply.

"Charlie, where are you? Stay where you are!" Scott yells, not taking any of my concern for him. I can hear him stumbling towards me when I'm met with a shadowy silhouette of an animal from the corner of my eye.

My eyes flicker towards the figure and the creature lets out a growl. I start choking up and I use my good leg to push me backwards, tears starting to flow freely down my face. Nobody has even seen me cry…not once in my life- well, if you count Stiles who pushed me down of the first day of headstart.

"Nice dog…wolf…monster…whatever the hell you are," I say, trying to stand up. "Go back to whatever cave you came from. Shoo!" The thing snaps at me and I fall back again, shrieking when I see its big beady red eyes. "Scott!" The wolf pounces and I'm attacked by a big ball of black fur. I shriek, feeling a sharp pain in my hip and I can hear Scott's screaming over my own bloodcurdling shrieks. The wolf quickly releases me and then I hear Scott's yell for help; more than likely Scott's done for…

My eyes flicker towards Scott who is scrambling across the space between us and he picks me up quickly, holding me as tightly as he can. I can already tell he's afraid he'll drop me because he's so shaken up. I bury my head into his shoulder, throwing my arms around his neck. Scott rubs my back awkwardly, hushing me and he runs as quickly as he can.

…

"Is it gonna need stitches?" I ask, wincing as Scott cleans the bite off.

The teenager has been bent over me for the better part of thirty minutes trying to get me to stay still; he has been literally soaking the bite mark in rubbing alcohol and slathering it in Neosporin and everything. I'm starting to think whether I should go to the hospital because he's making me so paranoid.

Scott shakes his head. "It wasn't as deep as I thought. You don't need to go to the hospital; I don't need to go, either. We'll both be fine as far as some soreness." He reaches over into my nightstand and picks up a bottle of pain killers, shaking two tablets from the bottle. Scott pushes them into my hand, giving me a glass of water.

I swallow the tablets with a mouthful of water, gulping down the rest of the liquid quickly and I hand the cup back to Scott. "So what're we gonna do if our parents find out? I don't wanna think about what Melissa's gonna do to you if she gets the hint that you were in the woods."

Scott shakes his head, climbing into bed next to me. He's always stayed in bed with me when he came to spend the night; my father usually kicks him and Stiles out of my room, though. When we were little, my parents had no problem with the boys and me sleeping in the same bed. Now it is just a little different since we're older.

"We don't tell them," says Scott, shrugging. "It's that simple. If they ask why you're limping it's because of cheer practice; just throw your bloody clothes away and I'll get rid of the medical supplies later." Scott smiles down at me, nudging my shoulder playfully. "Hey, don't worry, Charlotte."

I smile lightly and Scott throws his arm around my shoulders. I finally settle against Scott's body, throwing my arm across his torso. The both of us are use to this; we never meant it for any kind of affections outside of our friendship. We don't like one another in the boyfriend/girlfriend kind of way; Scott, as a child, would commonly sneak over to my house when his parents got into the worst of arguments…even fights, sometimes. I held him because he was a wreck and Scott held me because he needed something long lasting in his life to hold on to. Sometimes Stiles would lie about spending the night at another friend's house and he would sneak over here with us.

We became Scott's anchor; his safe haven.

"Umm…I know I haven't done this since I was little, but can I sleep with you?" Scott asks. I can tell he's genuinely terrified of what happened tonight.

I nod, bringing the blanket over our bodies. "Yeah; stay in here as long as you like." Silence falls between us and judging by Scott's limp body, he's either dozing or he's asleep. I feel myself dozing when my mouth slips, asking the question I didn't want to bring up tonight. "Scott?"

"What is it, Charlie?" Scott asks, his voice groggy.

"What was that thing out there?"

"I don't know, Char. I really don't know." Scott pats my back gently and I end up dozing into sleep after switching the lamp off. But as much as I try to force myself to forget, I am pulled off into a land where the red eyed monster still lives.

…

Scott and I meet Stiles by our lockers. This morning all the boy demanded was that he wanted to know why we didn't answer to his phones or texts and why we both look as ragged as hell. I find some cruel humor in his ranting, but I stop laughing when he gives me a glare that shoots daggers.

Stiles closes his locker door. "So how did you two get…umm…like that?"

I eye Stiles, leaning against the locker. My entire body hurts and the swelling on my leg only makes it worse. Scott still has to hold me up or I'll fall over; maybe I should have tried to get my parents to get me a pair of crutches while they were at the hospital. "I told you, dumbass! There was a wolf out there and it attacked us."

Stiles scoffs. "There aren't any wolves in California. Charlie, I think you need to go home because you've hit your head a bit too hard." He smiles like he's an expert at this and I hit him as hard as I can in his head. "I really think you need to see the school counselor."

"You need to get smarter, Stillinski. I'm just telling you what we had seen," I reply, rubbing my head. I groan, rubbing my head and I blink a few times. "I really need pain killers!" Scott sighs, reaching into his book bag and gives me another set of Ibuprofen. I drown the two pills with a bottle of water, smiling at Scott lightly. "Thanks for that, Scotty."

He nods. "Don't mention it, Charlie. C'mon, let's get to first period… God, I hate Coach Finnstock!" Scott has me wrap my arm around his neck and the three of us stumble off towards first period. The hallways begin to clear out and the bell rings; the ringing of the bell has never bothered me. I ignored it like every other thing I do here in school, but what's so different about today. I cover my ears, gritting my teeth in pain and Scott's face is the expression as mine: pain.

Stiles coughs. "You two okay?"

I nod, continuing to limp down the hallway. "Yeah, we're fine." The ringing in my ears doesn't stop for most of the day because it is so high pitched to me.

…

The first day of school was a living hell for me. My ears were so sensitive to sound that when someone wrote on the chalk board I almost cried because it hurt so badly. Even Scott was the same way- that's what really creeped me out. On many occasions the teacher almost dragged me down to the nurse against my will and I tried to convince them that I was perfectly fine. So through most of the day I wore a fake smile when Scott, Stiles, and I walked down the halls of Beacon Hills High School; each movement was absolute hell to me… I remember hitting my hip on the side of the wall and I almost doubled over in pain.

"Charlie, are you gonna make it? I can take you to the hospital to get X-Rays," Stiles offers, smiling down at me gently. I was still clinging to Scott for dear life because I was afraid I'd fall flat on my face because of my twisted ankle.

I shake my head. "I'm fine, Stiles. It's just a sprained ankle is all; I'll have my mother to look at it." I offer Stiles a smile, trying to convince him that I'll make it until I'm able to walk again. "C'mon, when haven't I been known to be tough?"

"Keep telling yourself that, sweetie," Stiles says, running off and he jumps into the jeep. He looks back at Scott who is helping me with my locker and I look up at the curly haired teenager. I give him a look and Scott huffs, crossing his arms.

"What's that for, McCall?" I ask, leaning back against the locker for quick means of support.

Scott shakes his head. "I'm not letting you hobble back to your car alone, Charlie." He quickly takes my books from me, holding them against his chest and he attempts to walk me back out to my car. I hit him in the chest. "Stop that, Jameson!"

"Scott, I've got this. Go on with Stiles and I'll manage myself, okay?" I squeeze his shoulder, offering him some reassurance. I take my books from him and I wave Scott off, telling him to go with Stiles before he leaves or I pop his head off. "I'll call you when I get home, okay?"

Scott nods, playfully hitting my shoulder and then he takes off, jumping into Stiles' jeep before they roll off down the road. I huff, holding my books close to my body and take a few steps by myself, limping down the hallway. The hallways have mellowed down, which is great for me; my headache resides slowly, but not fast enough for my likings. When I got home I'd probably just sleep the day away because I barely kept my eyes open through most of my classes today. I lean against the wall, taking a few deep breaths before limping away on my own. I think I'm actually safe until I hit the parking lot where there isn't a place where I can steady myself before walking again. I let out a yelp of pain, feeling my books leave my arms and I fall flat on my rear end. The parking lot it nearly deserted, so I can look at my ankle and get a move on.

I pull back my pants leg, exposing the skin of my ankle and I see where the bruising has set in. It's swollen, but not as bad as it was last night before Scott iced it and wrapped it for me.

"You look like you're pretty banged up there," a voice says. "Mind if I help?"

I look in the direction of the single voice and I look up at the person who offered me help. In front of me stands a man with jet black hair and dark green eyes; he has a little stubble on his face, but that doesn't have any effect on me, really. He's handsome with perfectly sculpted features and I can tell he has been working out…a lot. He doesn't go to school out here, that much I know. He's at least nineteen or twenty years old by the looks of it.

I offer a shy smile. "Umm…yeah; you can help me, if you don't mind."

He chuckles gently before bending down next to me, looking at my ankle. He whistles and then his fingers brush over the swollen skin; I don't feel his fingers moving across my ankle at all… "I don't mind helping at all. How'd you sprain your ankle this bad?" The man quickly gathers my books, wrapping a secure arm around my waist and lifts me up. "Here; don't let go of me, okay?" He adjusts my arm that way it's around his neck and he helps me towards my car.

"I sprained it in cheerleading," I say.

He nods, continuing to look down at me. "Well I guess that's unfortunate if you love cheerleading."

I shake my head. "Christ, I hate cheerleading with a fiery passion- I just do it so I don't have to endure gym class. I'm the…misfit of the girls, if you'll say. There are not very many people here that like me." I hear him laugh at me a little bit and I cock my eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're a funny girl. I don't see why you wouldn't be popular," he says. "You look like you're kind- even gentle; and you're a beautiful girl."

I smile at him. "That's a comment worth remembering around here. What's your name, stranger?"

"Derek Hale. You might've heard about my sister," Derek says. I can honestly see some kind of pain in those big green eyes of his. I frown and then look towards the ground. "Hey, it wasn't your fault I said anything. What's your name?"

"Charlie Jameson," I reply and Derek gives me a look.

"Charlie?"

"It's short for Charlotte," I reply and he smiles wildly, hitting his face with my books in a "duh" sense of motion. I giggle a little bit and finally Derek gets to my car. I open the door and he settles me inside. I take my books and put them in the passenger's seat, looking back at Derek. "Do you need a ride, Derek?"

He shakes his head. "No, not at all, Charlie; I'm just passing through because of my sister. But I look forward to seeing you again." Derek pecks me on the cheek and I feel a wild blush spread across my face. Derek chuckles and then squeezes my hand. "Goodbye, Charlotte."

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**Well, what did you think? Was it great? Was it horrible? Was it flamethrower worthy? Let me know if I should continue the story or just discontinue it all together! **


	2. Wolf Moon

**Sorry I haven't updated…I've been out of my mind for the last couple of weeks. Plus WB has been the pain in my butt for the longest while, too. Anyways, I've got my muse back after that one review…that's one more review than I expected to get. Give me reviews and positive criticism! Hope you enjoy the second part of the first chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Wolf or any of its materials. I just own Charlotte Jameson**

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I run from the girls' locker room quickly, coughing as I try to rid the smell of hair spray and perfume from my sinuses. The moment I stepped in there I rushed to the stalls to change in hopes on trying to make sure I didn't suffocate because of the potent smells. Scott talks about how bad the boys' locker room is and I wish I could be in his position- those boys don't spray those horrid things I once was in love with.

Scott and Stiles catch me quickly before I can tumble over, coughing violently as I take in deep breaths. "Charlie, are you okay? You're starting to get a little blue in the face." They lug me onto the bleachers, sitting me down. "Does it smell that bad in there?"

"It reeks of hair spray and desperation in there," I cough. "I almost suffocated!" Stiles pats my back while Scott studies me over, deeming me well enough to go out onto the field for practice. I thank God that Scott has gained some medical knowledge from his mother because if he hadn't I don't think I'd be here today because I constantly got into stuff as a child.

Scott laughs. "That's all you cheerleaders are good for." I Charlie Horse him in his shoulder, hearing him yelp and I laugh, taking in another deep breath of fresh air to rid my lungs of the fumes I took in the girls' locker room. "Damn it, Charlotte!" While Scott lets out a string of cuss words I pull him over towards the lacrosse team and what little cheerleaders they are. Currently Finstock is yelling into the girls' locker room, coughing at the hair spray hair he's breathing in.

"Yeah, it's pretty bad in there if Finstock's holding his breath. That man can stand almost anything," Scott says, getting a laugh from me and Stiles. The spiky haired man rushes inside, making the rest of the girls usher out and over towards the teams.

Finstock stands in front of us. "Ladies, this is PRACTICE, not a make-over party! Hell, I don't know how Coach Jenner put up with that crap!" Finstock and I haven't had the best relationship. The first day of school here at Beacon Hills High was spent in the principal's office because I had pelted him with tennis balls. We've been the pain in the other's ass ever since then. "Asses on the field! Asses on the field!" With that the group is separated and Logan Anders pulls me towards the group. He's the only one that's probably somewhat nice to me out of the team.

As I join Logan in the line of teens I peer out towards Scott. I can hear him asking Finstock about playing on the field and Finstock shoves Scott some goalie gear. God I know that Scott hates playing the goalie. Last year he got hit was so many balls bruises had formed across his abdomen. _"Here, you can play goalie. You'll boost the other players' confidence." _

"Hey, that was mean! You could be a little nicer, Coach Asshat!" I scream so Finstock can hear me.

He looks back at me. "Shut your mouth, Blondie!" With that he stomps towards the benches and stares down at poor Stiles. I pity the poor kid because he is constantly under fire by Finstock's comments as well as that Greenberg boy.

Huffing, I join in with the routine, making sure I perform the motions as well as I can. I feel two boys lift me up, throwing me into the air and I prepare for the impact of hard ground but their arms catch me, eyes wide in surprise. In fact the whole team has stopped and they continue to stare at me, blinking as if to confirm this wasn't a dream. I smile lightly before I'm crowded and I look towards the lacrosse team, the boys lined up, throwing their lacrosse balls at poor Scott. _Internal bleeding and bruising _are the only words I can think of because some of these boys are absolute brutes when it comes to this sport. But against all odds Scott catches every last one of them, sending the objects hurdling out towards the players before the next one throws.

"You go Scotty!" I screech, earning a bright smile from the boy who catches another call. Moments pass, the lacrosse team returning to the benches while scratching their heads, wondering what the hell has happened to Scott. I remember he was the worst player on the teams…well Stiles has the honor of holding that title, actually.

From the bleachers Lydia Martin and the new girl, Allison Argent, cheer loudly at Scott who is currently doing a ridiculous dance in the field. Stiles is cheering, too; I haven't seen him look so excited. But also I haven't ever seen him so freaking scared, too.

…

I stumble through the forested area with Scott and Stiles, sniffling and sneezing. The moment I had walked back into the bathroom I had gotten a strong whiff of the potent fumes those girls dare call "beauty products" and Stiles somehow rustled up a patch of flowers, scattering pollen into the air. The boys had claimed that I have superhuman allergies and I beat them to death in between sneezes and coughs for the comments.

"Now what exactly are we doing out here?" I ask, blowing my nose into a tissue I had in my pocket. This part of the woods brung back images of the horrific night when Scott and I were attacked. Even now when I look around I can see Scott and me being tackled down by that large wolf-like creature, our bloodcurdling screams piercing the air. Something inside of me screams for me to run back to the jeep but a deeper, primal side pulls me forward, something about this place giving me an odd comfort.

Scott looks down at me. "I've gotta find my inhaler. I don't feel like explaining to my mother why I lost an eighty dollar object I'll die without." I roll my eyes, shaking my head. As if Scott really needs it. During the practice he wasn't breathing hard or anything; I could hear his steady heartbeat and his breathing. Both were perfect as if he hadn't been involved in the activity.

I nod. "Okay. But let's hurry and get the hell out of here." Scott acknowledges my discomfort, knowing the source of my sudden anxiety. Hooking his arm around my shoulders, Scott leads me further into the woods, his eyes scanning over the place to find where he dropped his inhaler. An awkward silence falls between all three of us as we walk towards the site of the attack, trying to find the small white canister containing Scott's medicine. I hear Stiles cough, trying to break the tension in the air.

"So what about Scott and lacrosse practice? I mean that was just sick!" Stiles exclaims, a smile on his face as he looks at me and Scott. "And Charlie doing those back flips and whatever the hell the rest of that was?! You guys were amazing!"

I give a small smile while Scott stands tall, puffing his chest out. I chuckle and Scott nudges me gently before looking towards our best friend who is staring at us with wide eyes. "I mean it was like I had all the time in the world to catch those balls."

"I know! The cheer routine was nothing but easy to me. I was able to bend, flip, and do everything else with ease. If I had done something like that before one of you boys would have been with me in an ambulance." I hear Scott let out a booming laugh before looking towards Stiles who is currently scratching his head in wonder. I can see those little wheels turning inside of his screwed up head because of the wild smirk.

I cough, clearing my throat. "But this all started shortly after Scott and I got the bite." Since I got the bite all of my senses have been enhanced tenfold; relief came when I could run with ease and do somersaults without an issue due to my new athletic ability, but other things came. My temperature rose, deeper predator-like senses have surfaced, and when my heart rate rises there's something inside of me that screams and pleads to come out. It's all things that terrify me to no end.

Scott makes a sound of agreement. "Yeah; I'm able to smell things I'm not supposed to. It's like that mint gum in your pocket." Stiles makes a face and then reaches deep into his jeans pocket and pulls out a stick of gun, shaking his head. I bet he's thinking it's just coincidence that Scott has said that- some of our mind games to confuse him, rather.

"And there's that Frebreeze air freshener underneath the driver's seat," I add, making Stiles glare down at me and I giggle, going closer to Scott. The curly haired teen laughs before looking towards Stiles who is scratching his chin, wonder in his doe brown eyes. Wow, he's thinking hard, too.

Moments pass until Stiles speaks, looking towards Scott and me with a solemn expression. "Guys, I think I know what you have. I've heard of it before and what exactly happens isn't good, ya' know?" The blood in my veins starts running ice cold, the possibilities of the illnesses that Scott and I could have racing through our head. _Is it our bodies over-riding with adrenaline, _I wonder. _Will we go into shock and then die because of it? _

I hear Scott gulp. "Is it dangerous? Like contagious or anything?" Of course that's the first question the idiot asks. Later I'll know I'll have to take some kind of nerve pill because of these goofs putting me on edge.

Stiles shrugs. "It's _very rare_."

I huff. "What do we have? If it's some kind of horribly infectious disease tell us so we can go to the hospital!"

"Well, it only happens once a month," Stiles replies, looking at Scott and me with wide eyes. "It's called Lycanthropy." With those words the ADHD diagnosed boy throws his head back, howling loudly. He has a smirk on his face and I feel my hands clench into fists.

I untangle myself from Scott, stepping forward towards the laughing teenager. "Stiles, there are two things I'm good at: making out with boys and revenge. Lucky for me there's a lack of hot guys here." With that I lunge at him, ready to tackle him to the forest floor. Scott catches me, wrapping his arms around my waist to keep me from lunging at Stiles who is scrambling backwards.

"Okay, knock it off! Go cool off, Charlie," Scott says, placing me on the ground before pointing in the direction ahead of us. "Stiles, that was just mean as hell, man!" I stumble off ahead of the boys, taking in a deep breath. After walking for a few minutes I finally come across the place where Scott and I were bitten; even now I can see the freak-beast's teeth glistening in the moonlight, its howl ripping through the air when it was ready to sink its teeth into my skin.

I take in a deep breath, wandering around the place in silence until I feel a pair of hands on my back, making me jump out of my skin. My eyes meet a pair of haunted green ones and once again, I'm face-to-face with Derek Hale.

His mouth sets into a scowl. "What're you doing here? This is private property." I gulp back a sudden rush of panic, thinking that he had forgotten me when he hauled me out of the parking lot yesterday evening.

"I'm so sorry! I-I-I-I didn't know that…" I stutter and Derek chuckles wildly. "Hey, that's not funny! You scared the hell out of me!" Pulling from his grip I stare him in the eye, shaking my head. "You're a jackass, Derek Hale."

Derek sweeps a strand of hair from my eyes, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I'm sorry… I couldn't resist." Looking at him I can tell this is the first time he's probably ever smiled in a long time. There's happiness in his pained green eyes. "You seemed angry, Charlie. I wanted to lighten the load on you."

"By trying to make me cry like a little girl? Yeah, that really takes the anger away," I tease. "I'm looking for an inhaler. It's for my…" Derek presses Scott's inhaler into my hand, smiling down at me before looking towards Scott and Stiles who are dumbfounded, hearts racing wildly.

"I'll talk with you later," Derek murmurs. With that he walks off, disappearing into the trees and leaves me to be dragged from my spot by my two over-protective goofballs I call "friends."

Stiles eyes me, staring at me as if I had done some horrible deed. "Charlotte, what the hell was that?! How do you know him, huh? Is he a Facebook or a Twitter stalker? Does he follow you around town, huh?"

"It's okay, Stiles! He's the man that helped me when I fell in the parking lot yesterday. What's wrong with him, guys?" They're acting like Derek's some sort of threat…or they feel threatened or something. I can clearly tell that Scott's intimidated by him.

Scott grits his teeth. "That's Derek Hale!"

"Yeah, his family died in a fire like ten years ago," Stiles interjects. The Hale House fire… I remember that day so clearly. I was friends with one of the youngest members of that family…but I don't remember her name. It made the headlines in the paper and on the news…it was a dark day for Beacon Hills.

I huff. "It was six, Stiles."

"Whatever, Charlie! But listen to me, okay? I don't want you back around him." Christ, it's like they're talking to a three year old. "There's just something about him that I don't like." Stiles and Scott pulls me towards the jeep and I turn back, Derek's figure visible through the trees, his green eyes focused on me until I disappear into the trees.

…

I sit cross legged on Scott's bed, the two of us talking about plans for Saturday night. Both of us decided to go to the scrimmage and then the party that Jackson Whittemore's throwing after that; then I'll probably either stay with Stiles, Scott, or one of the girls on the cheer team because my parents are kicking me out of the house because this is their first night off in two weeks.

"You can stay with me," Scott says. "I'll come pick you up after I drop Allison off."

Allison Argent…that's the new girl that Scott has the world's biggest crush on. She's the quiet girl from San Francisco that the school's raving about; I can see what Scott likes her a lot. Allison's quiet, pretty, and kind- she's Scott's dream girl even though she's WAY out of his league.

I nod, tossing my biology homework aside. "That works. Of course, if you want to stay later, I can stay with Stiles or the girls from the cheer team." I smile wildly at Scott and I open my mouth to speak again, but I'm abruptly cut off by a stammering Stiles Stillinski.

"Guys, I think that you may want other plans for Saturday night," he says, speaking wildly.

I cough. "You took more than what you're supposed to on Adderall, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did! That's not the point, though! On Friday there's a _full moon_. I don't want either of you out because you are a threat…" Stiles trails off. Looking between me and Scott, I can tell that the teen's worried for us, but I just don't believe in the whole werewolf deal. I just don't.

I huff, pushing myself up from the bed with a swift movement. "Stiles, there's a fine line between rational and irrational statements. Right now you aren't speaking rationally. There's no such thing as werewolves and there's no way in hell that Scott and I are some freak beasts."

Stiles shakes his head, looking towards Scott. "You've gotta cancel your date with Allison. You and Charlie are staying home, okay? I can't have you guys running around on Saturday with yellow glow-sticks for eyes and Wolverine claws!"

"You're freaking delusional, Stiles! I'm not canceling with Allison!" Scott screams, giving Stiles a dirty look. I stand still, looking at the two boys with looks of terror. The worst they've ever argued like this was when we were six and Stiles took Scott's transformer. I'll guarantee you that it was as funny as hell but Scott's gonna get physical with him.

Stiles snatches up Scott's phone. "Then I'll do it for you." That's the last straw- Scott's gonna clobber his ass. One minute I know Scott slaps away his phone from Stiles, pushing the boy roughly before grabbing his jacket, pressing him against the wall.

I run towards Scott, pushing him so he'll stagger on his balance hoping that Stiles can get out of his grip. "Scott, stop it!" My voice comes out mixed with an animalistic growl, my own voice frightening me. I look towards Scott who momentarily drops Stiles, balling his fist up and it connects with my abdomen, sending me into the bed frame. Air leaves my lungs and I feel a gush of blood spew from my mouth, my heart hammering loudly as I wriggle around on the floor, trying to stand up. I watch as Scott growls, knocking a chair over and stomps from his room, leaving me and Stiles alone. After Stiles decides he's clear he picks me up, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"You okay, Charlie?" Stiles grabs a tissue, wiping the blood from my chin. But the strange thing is that it's black. I'm talking about like pitch black... I shake my head, finishing on ridding my mouth of the horrid tasting blood and I clean up a little under Stiles' supervision. "Let me see your stomach."

Nodding, I pull up my shirt a little bit to show off a bruise that's fading quickly. It goes from black, blue, to purple, and then it just fades all together to show off perfect pale skin. "Oh my God…" Stiles pulls me in for a quick hug before looking at the chair Scott knocked over. I pick it up, looking over it and in the leather I see three distinct _claw marks_.

…

Scott, Stiles, and I stand huddled together in the middle of the field with the cheer squad and the lacrosse team, teeth chattering as Finstock screams stuff at us. The minute we got out here to change into our uniforms and everything else the spiky haired menace started screeching at us; of course he started with me and Scott, saying we'd better do what we're expected or our asses are grass. After that it was just rants about how if we pissed him off-he meant that specifically towards me-we'd have to run suicides until we were out of high school.

Don't you just love Finstock?

I can see my parents sitting with Melissa and Sheriff Stillinski, their eyes staring out at me proudly. They've always wanted me involved in something like this in the previous years but there never was an athletic bone in my body; cheers and back flips quickly turned into crying and broken limbs when I was in grade school and middle school. Melissa's always been like a second mother and she's always taken off work to see games to watch me and Scott; all though she's never seen me doing anything like cheerleading she's been enthusiastic about me doing this, though. Then there's Sheriff Stillinski…or Papa in other words; the only reason he stomps out to scrimmages and games is to go on a stake-out or see how many teens are intoxicated.

"If you want a good spot, you guys better work your little asses off! Go get 'em!" Finstock screeches. "Let's go guys! Jameson, I expect no less than your best!" With that he calls for the guys to follow him, telling the girls to go to our end of the field.

Scott and Stiles kiss me on the cheeks quickly. "Good luck. Break a leg, Charlie." I roll my eyes at their comment and they laugh, scattering down the field and I follow the girls, joining the first few lines.

My ears bust at the sound of the music blaring and I grit my teeth in pain, shaking it off. I look towards Emily, the co-captain of the team, nodding to let her know to start us off with the cheer and with a few quick movements, we're up and running just as the first quarter of the game is started. I can hear the crowd cheer loudly and I chuckle, listening in on my parents. They're absolutely ecstatic right now; but I really don't care that they're here. All I want to see is Derek standing out there in the stands watching me… Looking out into the crowd I study over them, distinguishing them as either parents or students. That means Derek isn't there. I look at the field, studying the players over and I see Jackson and Danny tackle Scott and Stiles to the ground, the two pumbled teenagers blinking in confusion. Scott stands up, shaking off the initial shock before pulling Stiles up, helping the staggering boy walk to the benches, waiting until Finstock deems him okay. Sighing in relief I start up the next routine, watching as Scott and Jackson begin to square off against each other. _At least there are paramedics and Scott's mother nearby. Maybe they'll save him from suffering brain damage, _I think, cringing at the thought.

Scott makes a quick movement at the sound of the whistle, taking the ball into his lacrosse stick before running down the field. He dodges other players, doing a flip over three boys, and then hurls the ball into the goal before the goalie can even move to stop it.

"That's my Scotty!" I screech, throwing my hands up while I'm on top of the pyramid. I see him smile at me as I climb down, Logan Anderson pulling me onto his back and I rest my arms on the blonde's shoulders, staring towards Scott who is talking to Finstock. The entire crowd has fallen silent, the coach giving Scott a lecture.

"What the hell was that, McCall? This isn't gymnastics, okay?! This is freaking lacrosse!" Finstock screeches, making me cringe. I most definitely have a few choice words now. How can you yell at somebody for doing something that freaking amazing?

I call towards Finstock. "Hey, Coach Dumbass, what's the matter with you?! That was freaking amazing!" I get laughs from the crowd of people-all except my parents who give me dirty looks- as I yell profanities at Coach Finstock loudly.

"Shut up, Jameson!" the spiky haired man yells. "Scott, welcome to the first lines!"

Scott lets out a cheer before dashing back into the field, doing some small, ridiculous dance. I laugh, having Logan place me on my feet to direct the girls and boys in what we've come here to finish. But still, nonetheless, I'm freaking terrified of what's happening to Scott and me.

…

My parents gave me the boot soon after I was finished getting ready for the party; Stiles was already waiting for me in the parking lot, stating that Scott went to pick Allison up and he was my ride for tonight. So I guess that means I'm staying over at his place, too. The entire ride until we got to the party was awkward for me because Stiles stared at me like I was a walking safety hazard the whole car ride; it's like he was waiting for some kind of change.

I stand at the drink table, grabbing a plastic cup. All night I've been trying to make sure I haven't got anything spiked because some of the kids have been getting really tipsy in the last few hours and I don't think that Sheriff Stillinski will appreciate two drunken teens in his house.

"You don't have to baby sit me, Stiles," I reply, feeling his eyes boring into my back.

My eyes flicker towards Stiles who huffs, coming from his hiding place behind the bigger lacrosse players. He's been following me all night to make sure I don't spaz out on anybody or anything; it's like he's _waiting _for this to happen or something. I smile at him, tossing the cup aside as I walk towards Stiles quickly.

Stiles huffs. "But what if you wolf out or something? I don't want you turning somebody in hamburger meat." His doe brown eyes flicker towards Brain Jenner; the kid's been a horrible bully since Pre-K and hasn't gotten along well with Stiles at all. "Well if you're around him when it happens…"

I laugh and look up towards him. "Stiles, I'm not gonna wolf out or anything. The full moon's up and nothing hasn't happened yet, okay? If I'm supposed to be a werewolf or whatever the hell you said I was I would've been turned already."

"But Charlie…"

I take Stiles' hands in mine, shaking my head. "Stillinski, go have fun! Drink a little bit, go swimming in the back, and chase Lydia Martin if you feel courageous enough…" I get a chuckle and I kiss the boy's cheek, shaking my head. "I'll be fine."

Stiles shakes his head. "I will later. But…umm…I was wondering if you'd dance with me?" I can see the wild blush on his face and I chuckle, taking his shaking hand that he extended towards me. Walking towards the dance floor Stiles places his hands on my waist and I wrap my arms around his neck, feeling him pull me closer.

"Why are you nervous? C'mon, you know me, Stillinski," I say quietly.

Stiles shrugs before looking over towards Scott and his date who are dancing slowly, looking at us. Scott winks before Stiles smiles and I shake my fist, earning laughs. I shake my head, putting my chin against Stiles' shoulder as we sway to the music. A sharp pain shoots through my back, causing my breath to hitch and I feel my world go blurry, my fingers clenching onto Stiles' shirt.

Stiles supports me, holding me up. "Charlotte, are you okay? Charlie?" He sounds panicked upon feeling my body almost collapse onto the floor, barely able to keep his heart from hammering. "Do I need to get you out of here?"

I pull back from Stiles, shaking my head. The spastic pain running through my system is suppressed as I speak to him weakly. My heart begins to literally start vibrating against my chest, my vision blurring together in hazy grey and then shifts to red; a rush of warmth comes over my body as I feel something push at my insides, literally screaming to come out.

"Charlotte?! That's it, I'm taking you home," Stiles replies.

"No, Stiles. I…I…I just need to run to the bathroom," I say quickly. "I think I'm gonna be sick." With that I scatter off upstairs, holding my stomach as I search for the nearest restroom. I slam and lock a bathroom door, rushing over to the toilet and I heave, bile leaving my stomach. _I've drank too much punch. It might've been spiked, _I think as I heave again.

Hands pull back my hair for me, rubbing my back gently as I finish throwing up. My eyes flicker towards the person behind me and I see Derek Hale crouching behind me, tying my hair back with a rubber band quickly and his hands run up and down my back. "Derek?"

He nods towards me. "It's okay, I'm right here. Nothing's gonna happen to you."

I nod weakly, taking in a sharp breath and I feel my stomach turn violent. Derek sighs as he rubs my back, waiting until I'm finished to talk to me. "I've gotta get you out of here." He gently but quickly pulls me back, leaning over me to flush the toilet and pulls me up. "Can you walk, Charlotte?"

"Stiles. I've gotta go find Stiles," I say.

"He went after Scott," Derek says quickly. "Something happened. Right now I've gotta get you out of here, Charlie." With that he quickly has me to wrap my arm around his neck, guiding me downstairs. "Are you okay?"

"I c-c-c-c-can't b-b-breathe," I sputter, feeling pressure rise against my chest.

Derek nods, scooping me up quickly and runs to his car. He quickly bundles me into his front seat, not bothering with the belt and he closes the door, coming onto his own side. Placing the keys into ignition the worried boy quickly steps on the gas, speeding off down the road. I grit my teeth, doubling over in my seat as I feel sharp pains like somebody driving needles underneath my fingernails, pains shooting through my mouth, blood dribbling down my chin; something's inside of me screaming and begging to get out, making my muscles contract.

"Breathe, Charlotte," Derek says, looking between me and the road. "It's okay." He quickly veers off of the main road towards the Beacon Hills Preserve, taking a back road. I look up at the green eyes man, panicked with his actions.

"Derek, where the hell are we going?" I ask my breathing quickening as I talk through a mouthful of blood. "I think I need a hospital!" I grip the edge of the door handle, squeezing down on the thing as I feel another wave of pain going on.

Derek shakes his head, his right hand clutching mine. I growl audibly, doubling over as a spasm of pain shoots through my body. "Derek, make it stop!" I've never felt anything like this before; everything inside of my body feels like its breaking, the monster inside fighting its way out, pushing the real me deep down inside. Christ, Stiles was right; he was right about me turning into some freak beast with yellow glow-sticks for eyes. He's right about the while werewolf deal.

Werewolves are supposed to be the scary things in movies. Growing up they were the things that Scott, Stiles, and I would think was in our closets and go running in with a football helmet on and occasionally some kind of weapon like a plastic sword or a pool noodle. Werewolves were Halloween costumes that I'd scare the hell out of Scott and Stiles with in hopes that Scott never had a horrible asthma attack because I scared them so bad by hiding in their houses, let in by their mothers who were laughing violently at my antics. I never knew that these creatures were a reality.

They're supposed to be nightmares and all of that other crap. But no, this is the real freaking deal.

"Park the car," I say.

"Charlie, I don't think that…"

"I said park the damn car, Derek!" I scream, angry. Derek quickly pulls over, stopping the car and the moments we slow down I launch myself out the door, taking off into the forest. I look towards the moon, the thing calling to me like a beacon as I dash through the woods. Everything starts to slowly fade away, my vision leaving me as I become a rapid mess. The last thing I can faintly hear before the monster inside pushes me away is Derek's voice. That's when I lose all control, falling victim to the werewolf.

…

My body aches as I wake up, my vision still blurry as I stare towards the ceiling. A warm body is next to mine; a blanket strewn across my small body that's dressed in baggy clothing I assume belongs to Derek. The smell of ashes fills my nostrils as I move about, the pain becoming apparent and I groan loudly, Derek's voice filtering through the air.

"You'll be sore for a little while," he says. "The first transformations are always the worst, Charlie." I turn onto my side, looking up towards the dark haired man. He looks like he hasn't had much sleep and I can tell that he's been in this position for hours to hold me so I didn't pull nothing.

I sigh, placing my head on his chest. "Derek, did I hurt anybody? Did I hurt you?" That's the only thing I want to know. If I ever killed anybody I don't think I could ever be the same again; everything would be worthless.

"No, but you did take down a few defenseless rabbits and a deer in the process," Derek says, making me chuckle. "There were a few times I was a little unsure, but you did well. At about five you finally dropped…the full moon was gone. I walked two miles to find you out there."

I smile before drawing the blanket over my shoulders, closing my eyes in protest to anymore conversation. I'm so exhausted. "Thanks so much, Derek. Umm…did Stiles or Scott come out here to find me?"

"Scott wolfed out and came out here to look for you. He wanted to take you home, but you were about a mile away taking down forest creatures." He says the last part like it is funny, in which it is. "The blundering wonder was making sure that Allison Argent got home safely. I kept you here to make sure nothing else happened."

I nod, yawning as I hide my face in Derek's white shirt. He sighs and then untangles himself from my limbs. "Go to sleep, Charlotte. I've gotta take care of some business." He tucks the blanket around me and then squeezes my hand reassuringly, walking off. I smile lightly, my heart beating a little faster when I felt Derek's gentle touch and I find myself dozing back into sleep, dreams invading me.


End file.
